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Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases... Jun 2021Recently, infections with emerging zoonotic bacteria of the genus have been reported in association with a range of central nervous system (CNS) symptoms. Currently, it...
Recently, infections with emerging zoonotic bacteria of the genus have been reported in association with a range of central nervous system (CNS) symptoms. Currently, it remains unknown if spp. infection is associated with symptoms of schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder (SCZ/SAD). The objective of this study was to determine if there is an association between species infection and SCZ/SAD. A secondary objective was to determine if SCZ/SAD symptoms were more severe among participants with documented spp. infection. Using a case-control study design, 17 cases and 13 controls were evaluated with a series of clinical and cognitive assessments. Blood samples were collected and tested for spp. infection using serological, microbiological, and molecular techniques. People with SCZ/SAD were more likely than healthy volunteers to have spp. DNA in their bloodstream, with 11 of 17 cases (65%) positive by spp. droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). In comparison, only one healthy volunteer was spp. ddPCR positive (8%, = 0.0024). Based on serology, spp. exposure was common among people with SCZ/SAD (12 of 17) as well as among healthy volunteers (12 of 13), with no significant difference between the groups ( = 0.196). Within the case group of people with SCZ/SAD, there was no significant difference in SCZ/SAD severity scores between people with and without ddPCR evidence of spp. infection. This pilot study provides preliminary evidence in support of future investigations that should examine a potential contribution of spp. infection to SCZ/SAD.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Case-Control Studies; Pilot Projects; Schizophrenia
PubMed: 33728987
DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2729 -
Clinical Microbiology Reviews Jul 2017Since the reclassification of the genus in 1993, the number of species has grown from 1 to 45 currently designated members. Likewise, the association of different... (Review)
Review
Since the reclassification of the genus in 1993, the number of species has grown from 1 to 45 currently designated members. Likewise, the association of different species with human disease continues to grow, as does the range of clinical presentations associated with these bacteria. Among these, blood-culture-negative endocarditis stands out as a common, often undiagnosed, clinical presentation of infection with several different species. The limitations of laboratory tests resulting in this underdiagnosis of endocarditis are discussed. The varied clinical picture of infection and a review of clinical aspects of endocarditis caused by are presented. We also summarize the current knowledge of the molecular basis of pathogenesis, focusing on surface adhesins in the two species that most commonly cause endocarditis, and . We discuss evidence that surface adhesins are important factors for autoaggregation and biofilm formation by species. Finally, we propose that biofilm formation is a critical step in the formation of vegetative masses during -mediated endocarditis and represents a potential reservoir for persistence by these bacteria.
Topics: Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Endocarditis; Humans
PubMed: 28490579
DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00013-17 -
Clinical Microbiology Reviews Jul 1996Bartonella (formerly Rochalimaea) quintana is the etiological agent of trench fever, a disease extensively reported during the World Wars. Recent molecular biology... (Review)
Review
Bartonella (formerly Rochalimaea) quintana is the etiological agent of trench fever, a disease extensively reported during the World Wars. Recent molecular biology approaches have allowed dramatic extension of the spectrum of Bartonella infections. B. quintana is now also recognized as an etiological agent of fever and bacteremia, endocarditis, bacillary angiomatosis, and chronic lymphadenopathy. Human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients and/or homeless people are the most vulnerable to infection. Poverty and louse infestation were the main epidemiological factors associated with B. quintana infections during wartime. Although poverty and chronic alcoholism have been associated with modern cases of trench fever and bacteremia due to B. quintana in Europe and the United States, vectors for B. quintana have not been clearly identified and B. quintana has not been isolated from modern-day lice. Microscopic bacillary angiomatosis lesions are characterized by tumor-like capillary lobules, with proliferating endothelial cells. In vitro experiments have shown that B. quintana survives within endothelial cells and stimulates cell proliferation. These observations, together with the finding that lesions may regress when antibiotic therapy is administered, strongly suggest that B. quintana itself stimulates angiogenesis. Bartonella infections are characterized by a high frequency of relapses after brief courses of antibiotic therapy. It is to be noted that in vitro, although Bartonella species are highly susceptible to antibiotics, only the aminoglycosides have proved to be bactericidal. However, the most effective antibiotic regimen for Bartonella infections remains to be established.
Topics: Angiomatosis, Bacillary; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Arthropod Vectors; Bacteremia; Bacteriological Techniques; Bartonella quintana; Cats; DNA, Bacterial; Disease Reservoirs; Endocarditis; Humans; Lymphadenitis; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Risk Factors; Serology; Trench Fever
PubMed: 8809460
DOI: 10.1128/CMR.9.3.273 -
Journal of Applied Microbiology Sep 2010Cat scratch disease is the most common zoonotic infection caused by Bartonella bacteria. Among the many mammals infected with Bartonella spp., cats represent a large... (Review)
Review
Cat scratch disease is the most common zoonotic infection caused by Bartonella bacteria. Among the many mammals infected with Bartonella spp., cats represent a large reservoir for human infection, as they are the main reservoir for Bartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae and Bartonella koehlerae. Bartonella spp. are vector-borne bacteria, and transmission of B. henselae by cat fleas occurs mainly through infected flea faeces, although new potential vectors (ticks and biting flies) have been identified. Dogs are also infected with various Bartonella species and share with humans many of the clinical signs induced by these infections. Although the role of dogs as source of human infection is not yet clearly established, they represent epidemiological sentinels for human exposure. Present knowledge on the aetiology, clinical features and epidemiological characteristics of bartonellosis is presented.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Bartonella henselae; Cat-Scratch Disease; Cats; Disease Reservoirs; Disease Vectors; Dogs; Humans; Siphonaptera; Ticks; Zoonoses
PubMed: 20148999
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2010.04679.x -
Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases... Jan 2023species are fastidious gram-negative vector-borne bacteria with a wide range of mammalian reservoirs. While it is understood that some species of are human pathogens,...
species are fastidious gram-negative vector-borne bacteria with a wide range of mammalian reservoirs. While it is understood that some species of are human pathogens, the extent of human exposure to species (both pathogenic and nonpathogenic) is yet to be fully understood. To this end, residual sera from participants enrolled in undifferentiated fever studies in Cambodia, Ghana, Laos, and Peru were screened for the presence of IgG antibodies against and , using the FOCUS diagnostics Dual Spot- IgG Immunofluorescence assay. Forty-eight patients with suspected or confirmed exposure or infection in Peru were screened to assess cross-reactivity of the FOCUS assay for IgG against other . Ten of 13 patients with confirmed infection were -specific IgG positive, and overall, 36/48 of the samples were positive. In addition, 79/206, 44/200, 101/180, and 57/100 of the samples from Peru, Laos, Cambodia, and Ghana, respectively, were -specific IgG positive. Furthermore, ectoparasite pools from Cambodia, Laos, and Peru were tested using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for the presence of DNA. Of the sand fly pools collected in Peru, 0/196 were qPCR positive; 15/140 flea pools collected in Cambodia were qPCR positive; while 0/105 ticks, 0/22 fleas, and 0/3 louse pools collected in Laos tested positive for DNA. Evidence of in fleas from Cambodia supports the possibility that humans are exposed to through this traditional vector. However, species were not found in fleas, ticks, or lice from Laos, or sand flies from Peru. This could account for the lower positive serology among the population in Laos and the strictly localized nature of infections in Peru. Human exposure to the Bartonella species and Bartonella as a human pathogen warrants further investigation.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Peru; Laos; Cambodia; Ghana; Flea Infestations; Siphonaptera; Ticks; Mammals
PubMed: 36633562
DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0090 -
Clinical Microbiology Reviews Jan 2018Carrion's disease (CD) is a neglected biphasic vector-borne illness related to . It is found in the Andean valleys and is transmitted mainly by members of the genus but... (Review)
Review
Carrion's disease (CD) is a neglected biphasic vector-borne illness related to . It is found in the Andean valleys and is transmitted mainly by members of the genus but also by blood transfusions and from mother to child. The acute phase, Oroya fever, presents severe anemia and fever. The lethality is high in the absence of adequate treatment, despite the organism being susceptible to most antibiotics. Partial immunity is developed after infection by , resulting in high numbers of asymptomatic carriers. Following infection there is the chronic phase, Peruvian warts, involving abnormal proliferation of the endothelial cells. Despite potentially being eradicable, CD has been expanded due to human migration and geographical expansion of the vector. Moreover, studies have demonstrated the risk of the development of antimicrobial resistance. These findings, together with the description of new species producing CD-like infections, the presence of undescribed potential vectors in new areas, the lack of adequate diagnostic tools and knowledge of the immunology and bacterial pathogenesis of CD, and poor international visibility, have led to the risk of increasing the potential expansion of resistant strains which will challenge current treatment schemes as well as the possible appearance of CD in areas where it is not endemic.
Topics: Animal Distribution; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Insect Vectors; Psychodidae
PubMed: 29187394
DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00056-17 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Jun 2022The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and molecular characteristics of Bartonella infections in small rodents in the Shangdang Basin, China. Small...
The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and molecular characteristics of Bartonella infections in small rodents in the Shangdang Basin, China. Small rodents were captured using snap traps, and their liver, spleen, and kidney tissues were harvested for Bartonella detection and identification using a combination of real-time PCR of the ssrA gene (296 bp) and conventional PCR and sequencing of the gltA gene (379 bp). Results showed that 55 of 147 small rodents to be positive for Bartonella, with a positivity rate of 37.41%, and 95% confidence interval of 29.50%- 45.33%. While the positivity rate across genders (42.62% in males and 33.72% in females, χ2 = 1.208, P = 0.272) and tissues (28.57% in liver, 33.59% in spleen, and 36.76% in kidney, χ2 = 2.197, P = 0.333) of small rodents was not statistically different, that in different habitats (5.13% in villages, 84.44% in forests, and 54.17% in farmlands, χ2 = 80.105, P<0.001) was statistically different. There were 42 Bartonella sequences identified in six species, including 30 B. grahamii, three B. phoceensis, two B. japonica, two B. queenslandensis, one B. fuyuanensis and four unknown Bartonella species from Niviventer confucianus, Apodemus agrarius and Tscherskia triton. In addition to habitat, Bartonella species infection could be affected by the rodent species as well. Among the Bartonella species detected in this area, B. grahamii was the dominant epidemic species (accounting for 71.43%). B. grahamii exhibited four distinct clusters, and showed a certain host specificity. In addition, 11 haplotypes of B. grahamii were observed using DNASP 6.12.03, among which nine haplotypes were novel. Overall, high occurrence and genetic diversity of Bartonella were observed among small rodents in the Shangdang Basin; this information could potentially help the prevention and control of rodent-Bartonella species in this area.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; China; Female; Male; Murinae; Phylogeny; Prevalence
PubMed: 35648747
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010446 -
Infection, Genetics and Evolution :... Jan 2022Although Bartonella spp. is described in cats worldwide, little is known about the occurrence and genetic diversity of Bartonella spp. in cats from South America. To...
Although Bartonella spp. is described in cats worldwide, little is known about the occurrence and genetic diversity of Bartonella spp. in cats from South America. To date, it has only been detected in cats from Brazil, Chile and Argentina. This study aimed to undertake a molecular survey and explore the genetic diversity of Bartonella spp. in domestic cats from Paraguay. A TaqMan real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) targeting the nuoG gene (83 bp) for Bartonella spp. was used to screen 125 blood samples from cats in Asuncion, Paraguay. nuoG qPCR-positive samples were further submitted to conventional PCR assays based on the ITS (453- 717 bp), gltA (767 bp), ftsZ (515 bp), rpoB (333 bp), ribC (585-588 bp), and pap-31 (564 bp) loci. Positive samples were sequenced for species identification, phylogenetic, and haplotype analyses. Bartonella D.N.A. was present in 20.8% (26/125) cat blood samples, with low levels of Bartonella nuoG D.N.A. cPCR products targeting gltA, ftsZ, ITS, and rpoB loci from sixteen cats were successfully sequenced. However, all nouG qPCR-positive samples were negative for the ribC and pap-31 genes. Bartonella henselae [62.5% (10/16)] and Bartonella clarridgeiae [37.5% (6/16)] were identified among the sequenced samples. Upon phylogenetic analysis, B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae from Paraguay clustered with sequences detected in domestic and wild cats, dogs, and cat fleas worldwide. Two to four haplotypes of B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae in cats from Paraguay were observed, with some being exclusive and others shared with worldwide distributed haplotypes. Here, we report B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae for the first time in cats from Paraguay. Its circulation in cats suggests the need to consider Bartonellae when testing clinical samples from suspected infectious diseases in humans from Paraguay.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Bartonella henselae; Cat Diseases; Cats; Genetic Variation; Paraguay; Phylogeny
PubMed: 34896287
DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105181 -
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine Jan 2022Improved understanding of Bartonella spp. serology in dogs may aid clinical decision making.
BACKGROUND
Improved understanding of Bartonella spp. serology in dogs may aid clinical decision making.
OBJECTIVE
Describe demographic and geographic patterns of Bartonella spp. seroreactivity in dogs, and describe hematologic and serum biochemical abnormalities in Bartonella spp. seroreactive and nonseroreactive dogs.
ANIMALS
Serum samples from 5957 dogs in the United States, previously submitted to IDEXX Reference Laboratories.
METHODS
Serum was tested using 3 indirect ELISAs for B. henselae, B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii, and B. koehlerae. Complete blood count and serum biochemistry panel results were reviewed retrospectively.
RESULTS
Overall, 6.1% of dogs were Bartonella spp. seroreactive. Toy breeds were less likely to be seroreactive (3.9%) than mixed breeds (7.5%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32-0.72), and dogs <1 year old were less likely to be seroreactive (3.4%) than dogs 1 to 5.5 years of age (7.3%; aOR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.23-0.72). Dogs in the West South Central (9.8%) and South Atlantic (8.8%) regions were more likely than dogs elsewhere in the United States to be seroreactive (aOR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.31-3.87; aOR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.38-4.36).
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
Demographic and geographic findings for Bartonella spp. exposure were broadly comparable to previously reported patterns.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Retrospective Studies; Seroepidemiologic Studies; United States
PubMed: 34788481
DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16311 -
Future Microbiology Aug 2009It has been nearly two decades since the discovery of Bartonella as an agent of bacillary angiomatosis in AIDS patients and persistent bacteremia and 'nonculturable'... (Review)
Review
It has been nearly two decades since the discovery of Bartonella as an agent of bacillary angiomatosis in AIDS patients and persistent bacteremia and 'nonculturable' endocarditis in homeless people. Since that time, the number of Bartonella species identified has increased from one to 24, and 10 of these bacteria are associated with human disease. Although Bartonella is the only genus that infects human erythrocytes and triggers pathological angiogenesis in the vascular bed, the group remains understudied compared with most other bacterial pathogens. Numerous questions regarding Bartonella's molecular pathogenesis and epidemiology remain unanswered. Virtually every mammal harbors one or more Bartonella species and their transmission typically involves a hematophagous arthropod vector. However, many details regarding epidemiology and the public health threat imposed by these animal reservoirs is unclear. A handful of studies have shown that bartonellae are highly-adapted pathogens whose parasitic strategy has evolved to cause persistent infections of the host. To this end, virulence attributes of Bartonella include the subversion of host cells with effector molecules delivered via a type IV secretion system, induction of pathological angiogenesis through various means, including inhibition of apoptosis and activation of hypoxia-inducing factor 1, use of afimbrial adhesins that are orthologs of Yersinia adhesin A, incorporation of lipopolysaccharides with low endotoxic potency in the outer membrane, and several other virulence factors that help Bartonella infect and persist in erythrocytes and endothelial cells of the host circulatory system.
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Proteins; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Endothelial Cells; Erythrocytes; Humans; Models, Biological; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 19659429
DOI: 10.2217/fmb.09.41